CHAPTER 31

Uchiha Kiyo had overestimated their strength. In just five minutes, the entire team was wiped out. As for Orochimaru's use of the Body Flicker Technique—could they even argue about it?

This battle made one thing clear: while Uchiha Kiyo had a solid foundation and effective ideas, his lack of actual combat experience was evident.

Over the years, Uchiha Kiyo had honed his taijutsu by fighting wild beasts in the back mountain. However, animals relied purely on instinct. Once he understood their attack patterns, evasion became easy. But from now on, things would be different. His enemies would be ninjas—trained warriors skilled in tactics and deception.

Ninjas, by nature, turn combat into an art. When physically vulnerable, they use jutsu and strategy to overcome their opponents. For most, battle before reaching Jōnin rank is determined by skill and experience rather than raw power. However, Uchiha Kiyo lacked both. His combat strategies were theoretical, constructed in his mind rather than tested in real fights.

The Weight of a Jōnin's Presence

"Humph."

Orochimaru's cold snort echoed across the training field. Without warning, he released a surge of killing intent.

The overwhelming aura nearly suffocated the three Genin, sending chills down their spines. It was as if an invisible force had pressed down on them, freezing them in place.

"Who do you think you are?" Orochimaru's voice was sharp and merciless. "Your opponent is a Jōnin. Even if I suppress my strength, my battle instincts and experience are beyond your comprehension. How long did you honestly think you could last?"

Despite understanding that Orochimaru was testing them, the sheer pressure of his presence made their bodies tremble. When the killing intent finally faded, the three gasped for air, drenched in sweat.

Uchiha Kiyo clenched his fists. "So this is a Jōnin... Just a fraction of his killing intent is enough to paralyze us. How many people has he killed to refine his aura to this level? If this is what Jōnin feels like, what about Kage-level or even beyond?"

The reality of their weakness hit him hard. The gap between Genin and Jōnin was enormous. His previous estimations of reaching Jōnin rank had been naive. Even Special Jōnin seemed far off. If he wanted to truly grow, he had to refine his skills, increase his chakra reserves, and—most importantly—awaken and master the Sharingan.

"A two-tomoe Sharingan alone would be a huge boost," Uchiha Kiyo thought. "With it, I can advance faster and push toward Jōnin level more efficiently."

The First Reward

Orochimaru studied their reactions, his expression unreadable. Then, satisfied, he said, "Despite losing so quickly, your overall strength isn't bad. However, your combat strategies and battle instincts are too simplistic. From now on, you will engage in combat every day—either against me or each other. This training will not be skipped."

He then tossed three scrolls to them.

Sarutobi Shuo received a scroll on advanced ninjutsu principles and chakra efficiency techniques. Nawaki Senju was given notes on taijutsu fundamentals, particularly combat strategy and movement. Meanwhile, Uchiha Kiyo's scroll contained Earth Release ninjutsu, along with chakra control training methods.

Each scroll was tailored to their needs.

Sarutobi Shuo had a strong ninjutsu arsenal but lacked chakra efficiency. His training focused on optimizing chakra consumption to extend his endurance in battles.

Nawaki Senju, despite being under Tsunade's training, had an unpolished fighting style. His combat approach was reckless and inefficient, making it a miracle that he had survived Tsunade's harsh sparring sessions for so long. The notes Orochimaru provided were meant to refine his technique.

Uchiha Kiyo, on the other hand, had already demonstrated an impressive level of chakra control in his Fire Release jutsu. Rather than refining his existing skills, Orochimaru wanted him to expand his abilities with Earth Release.

Orochimaru saw potential in their team composition. Two offensive powerhouses—Sarutobi Shuo specializing in explosive attacks and Nawaki Senju in sustained combat—and one support specialist in Uchiha Kiyo.

Having been in a team with Tsunade, Orochimaru knew the value of a medical ninja. Not only did they enhance a team's survivability, but their presence also allowed for prolonged engagements. If Uchiha Kiyo could heal during battle, their team's endurance would drastically improve.

However, medical ninjutsu required time and concentration. For Kiyo to heal mid-battle, he would need to utilize shadow clones. That meant he needed even greater chakra reserves. While he couldn't match the monstrous stamina of the Senju clan, his reserves were at least double that of Sarutobi Shuo, which was already impressive.

Sarutobi Shuo had around 30–40 chakra units, enough to use a C-rank ninjutsu once before exhaustion. Many Genin had even lower reserves—some barely reaching 10 units. In that sense, Kiyo's chakra pool was a considerable advantage.

Without explaining further, Orochimaru simply said, "Train according to the scrolls. I will assess your progress. If you don't improve..."

His voice trailed off, but the implicit threat was enough to make them nod frantically, assuring him they would take their training seriously.

Three Months of Hell

With his instructions given, Orochimaru vanished in an instant.

As soon as he left, Nawaki Senju collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.

"That was terrifying... Just how many people has he killed to develop that kind of aura? Even my sister doesn't feel that menacing."

Sarutobi Shuo nodded. "Yeah... I knew Orochimaru was strong, but his personality is intense. There's something unsettling about him."

Despite his eerie demeanor, Orochimaru's training regimen was brutally effective. Three months passed in grueling routine—balancing missions with relentless combat training.

D-rank missions were nothing more than chores, but they were mandatory. Even though Uchiha Kiyo found them tedious, he endured them for the income. Without the money from missions, sustaining his training regimen would have been impossible.

His real focus, however, was on battle. Every day, they trained, fought, and refined their techniques under Orochimaru's watchful eye. Little by little, they improved.

Three months had passed. The true impact of their training was about to be tested.